Speaking outside the council chambers councilor Modenga of Moselewapula ward said they wanted to remove the mayor from office because she favours the Masisi faction during debates and uses divide and rule tactics to maintain a firm grip over the house.

Councilor Ngoma on the other hand claimed that full council meetings had lost meaning and direction.

‘‘She ignores standing orders and the local government act and instead uses her feeling to direct meetings. The town clerk is also biased,’’ said Ngoma.

Councillor Ramolotsana Gaithuse described the city mayor as a divisive leader.

“As a specially elected councilor, she does not have a ward so she doesn’t really care about the interest of the people,” charged a disappointed Gaithuse.

Another fed up councilor; Gaone Majere described Muzila as “unfit to lead.”

She cares more about her interests than about what matters to the people,” she said.

Explaining the background of the boycott, Nyeku said that it started on Tuesday when several councilors left the house in protest of councilor Zazambe’s insults to the opposition, a misdemeanor that the mayor entertained.

Zazambe had said to the mayor, “tlogela dimatla tse tsa UDC’ (Leave these UCD fools alone)

“Councilor Lesego Kwambala asked Zazambe to apologise for his rude remarks but the mayor asked him to proceed.” said Kwambala who went on to highlight the need for civil debates.

Zazambe however apologized to UDC members this Wednesday during a full council meeting.

Meanwhile minister Shaw Kgathi has called for cordial working relations between warring BDP factions.

A leaked text message from Kgathi to one councilor reads in part, “The party leadership has learnt of your differences amongst yourselves as Botswana Democratic Party councilors in Francistown. Furthermore information has also reached the party leadership that you may seize an opportunity to discuss it in a full council. I have therefore been instructed to plead with you that we do not wash our dirty linen in public thus you defer the matter and peacefully conclude business of council till the central committee sends a full delegation to come and listen and resolve your concerns. By copy of this note your regional chairman is informed of this decision and requested to ensure that he also prevails over this matter.”

The BDP has been rocked by factions since the day the Minister of Infrastructure, Science and Technology declared his interest to challenge the Vice President, Mokgweetsi Masisi for the Secretary General position at the July Congress.